Supporting neurodivergent students: a whole-of-Griffith campus approach
Griffith College launched the Neurodiversity Initiative, a pioneering project led by Dr. Kristy Seymour. This initiative aims to scaffold a ‘whole-of-campus approach’ to establish a best-practice model of inclusive learning and teaching for neurodivergent (ND) students.
“Upon assessing our level of knowledge, training and understanding of neurodivergent students, we acknowledged that it required a more nuanced and measured strategy. One that encompasses not only the academic staff in the direct teaching environment, but also across student support services and student administration. As such, we are creating a program of support initiatives aimed at developing better outcomes for student retention, improvements in a sense of belonging, increased engagement and an authentic, neuro-affirming campus community.”
— Dr. Kristy Seymour
There are four key focus areas to the project so far:
Focus Area 1: Academic Staff
Focus area 1 seeks to increase awareness and understanding of how autism and ADHD may present in the classroom. As part of this, methods and resources have been developed that the teaching team can use to provide more inclusive and neuro-affirming learning spaces.
Focus Area 2: Administration and support staff
Focus area 2 will aim to provide training in knowledge and awareness of how autism and ADHD may present when communicating with students face-to-face, online and over the phone. Upskilling the team to enable them to accommodate the communication and executive functioning differences that our neurodivergent students may have.
Focus Area 3: Student Peer Group
The Student Peer Group ‘Find your tribe’ is a peer-based support group will aim at providing opportunities for ND students to connect with like-minded peers. It fosters a community-based environment where students can connect with each other and develop social opportunities to increase their sense of belonging.
Focus Area 4: Mentoring Program
This focus area will seek to build a support system for all ND students through a peer-mentoring program. Here, fellow Neurodivergent students will be able to offer mentoring support to new students at the College.
Through this multifaceted initiative, Griffith College is not only enhancing the educational experience for neurodivergent students but also setting a new benchmark for inclusive education. By embedding neuro-affirming practices across all areas of campus life—from teaching and support services to peer connections and mentoring—the Neurodiversity Initiative reflects a genuine commitment to equity, belonging, and student success.